See the road safety advert F1 legend David Coulthard was paid £250 a SECOND to film

The Scottish Government agreed a £10,000 payout for the 40-second advert starring the multimillionaire race ace

F1 legend David Coulthard was paid a staggering £10,000 of taxpayers’ cash to star in a 40-second road safety advert - £250 per SECOND.

The payout for the multimillionaire race ace - who lives in the tax haven of Monaco – for the one-day shoot was agreed by Transport Scotland, the Daily Record revealed.

The Scottish Government then splashed more public cash in a bid to keep the deal secret after the Sunday Mail submitted a Freedom of Information request asking how much Coulthard was paid.

But after an eight-month battle, they have been forced to reveal the details or face contempt of court action after the Scottish Information Commissioner ruled that the agreement with Coulthard was not confidential.

As well as the £10,000 he was paid, Coulthard also asked for another £5000 to be donated to the Wings for Life spinal injuries charity.

The ex-racer, who still commentates on F1 for the BBC, phoned the Sunday Mail from his Monaco home hours after we contacted London-based Sports Partnership management agency, who set up the shoot.

He insisted he pays all tax due on his UK earnings and that he had not asked for a confidentiality clause.

Coulthard, 42, originally from Twynholm, Kirkcudbrightshire, said: “Everything is declared and everything has tax paid on it. I still pay tax on my UK earnings, which is absolutely fair.

“My motivation was not at all about the income stream – the charity part was more important.”

He also revealed that he has been subjected to “tax investigations” – one of which resulted in a refund after he overpaid.

Coulthard said all his BBC work is taxable and that income from his image rights for that work is sent to Children in Need.

He submits his UK earnings to specialist accountants Rawlinson and Hunter, who have offices around the globe. Their website boasts: “No one likes to pay tax. There are many ways of deferring or alleviating the burden of tax, each with advantages and disadvantages.

“We can guide you towards a solution best suited to your own situation.”

The Scottish Government said the £10,000 fee also covered usage rights for all media for three non-consecutive months over a period of two years.

In addition, it allowed for voice and image rights for the digital game The Coulthard Challenge as well as other social media and marketing activities.

Labour’s Patricia Ferguson criticised the Scottish Government for their “disproportionate” efforts to keep the Coulthard deal secret.

She said: “It is just another example of the SNP attempting to throw their weight around in an effort not to be held publicly accountable.”

The Scottish Government refused to justify their reasons for not disclosing the information to the Sunday Mail.

We were told any follow-up questions should be submitted as another Freedom of Information request.